There are many types of laundry additives suitable for use in automatic washing machines for fabric laundering. Cleaning agents such as surfactants and detergent builders are used to assist in the mechanical removal of soil and stains from fabrics being laundered. Bleaching agents, enzymes and adjuvants relating thereto are designed to promote chemical degradation and removal of soils and stains. Fabric conditioners, softeners, anti-wrinkle agents, soil release materials and similar agents serve to alter and enhance the condition, appearance or feel of laundered fabrics. Other auxiliary materials, such as pH adjustment and control agents, buffers, solvents, dispersants, anti-redeposition agents, dye transfer inhibitors, stabilizers, preservatives, perfumes, dyes and the like are used to alter the aqueous environment in the automatic washing machine drum to provide for optimum performance of the active laundry additive materials or to improve the quality or aesthetics of commercialized laundry products containing these active additive materials.
The types of laundry additives described hereinbefore, frequently intermingled or admixed together in a wide variety of combinations for convenience, are commonly marketed to consumers in bulk quantities, in either solid, i.e. granular or tablet, or liquid form.
Consumers carrying out the laundering operation generally add doses or aliquots of this intermingled or admixed product to the automatic washing machine. In the majority of cases a single product is added to the automatic washing machine, for instance directly into the drum or into a dispensing drawer, prior to beginning the automatic washing process.
However, certain laundry additive materials are most effective when introduced to the process at some time after the automatic washing process has begun. For instance, laundry additives intended to enhance the condition, appearance or feel of laundered fabric, such as fabric conditioners, softeners, anti-wrinkle agents, etc., are most effective when added during the rinse cycle, which takes place after the main washing cycle. Indeed, some are ineffective if added prior to the rinse cycle. This can create the need for the consumer to return to the automatic washing machine at some point during the automatic washing process, such as at the beginning of the rinse cycle to add materials which are to function at this later point, e.g. during the rinse cycle.
Therefore, various systems have been developed which permit the consumer to place laundry additives material into devices or dispensers at the beginning of the automatic washing process with those devices or dispensers serving to add the laundry additives to the automatic washing process automatically at a predetermined later stage of the process. These systems have been particularly concerned with introducing laundry additives into the rinse cycle automatically.
One type of system used for introducing laundry additives into the rinse cycle automatically includes rinse water dispensers. These dispensers are typically filled with a laundry additive and placed in the automatic washing machine at the beginning of the cycle. While these devices have grown in popularity, they do have room for improvement. One difficulty associated with such a dispenser is that it must be found in the laundry at the end of the wash cycle. Often these devices still have laundry additive or rinse water remaining inside, necessitating the removal of these compositions from the dispenser. Further, these devices can be difficult to fill and seal.
Automatic washing machine drums are apertured in order to allow entry of water into the drum, and these apertures could potentially provide a convenient means for attaching such devices or dispensers with the use of a hook-based system. However, it is important that any attachment system is secure and does not raise significant risk of the device or dispenser becoming detached from the inner surface of the drum during the washing process. The drum is moving during a significant proportion of the process and, in particular, spins rapidly during the spin cycle.
Dispensing of rinse laundry additives in accordance with this invention takes place in an automatic washing machine. Such automatic washing machines are those typically found in the home or in businesses such as self-service laundromats wherein individual consumers can launder their own loads of fabrics.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a more convenient and efficient dispenser capable of dispensing a laundry additive to the rinse cycle. It is also desirable to add the laundry additive at the beginning of the main washing cycle for the dispensing during the rinse cycle. It is further desirable to provide a dispenser that can be removably attached to the drum of an automatic washing machine. The present invention solves these problems.